...DON’T EVEN GET BETTER EFFICIENCY!

This move from DOE was only provoked by lawsuit judgments against the Bush administration for its failures to increase US efficiencies.

David Goldstein of the Natural Resources Defense Council didn’t care for the original proposal DOE made to improve efficiency. "We thought [the original proposal] was the least this DOE could do…It turned out it wasn't."

Gripes Over Bush’s First Energy-Efficiency Upgrade; The new standard for electrical transformers, announced Friday, will save less energy than utilities had expected
Mark Clayton, October 17, 2007 (Christian Science Monitor)

WHO
The administration of President George W. Bush, The Department of Energy (DOE)

The transformer in question. (click to enlarge)

WHAT
The Federal Register reported October 19 that the Bush administration made its first upgrade in energy efficiency standards, a supposedly significant improvement in the required performance of electrical transformers.

WHEN
- This is the 1st efficiency improvement required by the Bush administration in its 6 years. The Clinton administration had effected SIX efficiency measures by its 6th year. (NewEnergyNews: Could that have been part of economic growth? Businesses and consumers probably feel more affluent if they are spending less on necessities like power.)
- 2006: as a result of the lawsuit brought by environmental groups, the Bush DOE agreed to implement many new appliance standards on a 5-year timetable.

WHERE
Transformers are the gray cylindrical objects hanging on utility poles everywhere. Almost all US electricity passes through the transformers.

WHY
- The DOE reports that so much electricity is processed by US transformers that only a tiny fraction of a percent improvement in performance will save as much electricity over the 29 years for which it is written as is used by 27 million houses in a year. DOE also reports the improvement would eliminate the need to build 5 new medium coal plants. (NewEnergyNews: Over 29 years? They’re planning to build dozens; maybe hundreds!)
- In fact, DOE’s standards for transformers is 1/3 LESS demanding than the utility industry’s consensus expectation.

Of course this administration has shown little interest in conservation – it has shown little real interest in controlling spending!

QUOTES
- Steve Nadel, American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy: “[DOE] left energy gains sitting on the table."
- Megan Barnett, DOE spokeswoman: "We're required to balance a number of factors, including what is both technologically feasible and economically justified…We performed substantial analysis and gave extensive attention to comments and proposals. And we raised the required level of efficiency for distribution transformers."
- Ed Legge, utility lobbyists Edison Electric Institute: "The new standards aren't as tough as we had hoped…I wouldn't say it [the new standard] is the highest possible. But it's better than the initial proposal a year ago. We would have liked more, and we'll keep pushing."